Single-trigger mechanism.



No. 870,318. PATENTED`N0V.5, 19o?.

A RAUS. A v SINGLE TRIGGBR MBGH'ANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APRg24, 1908. v

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 ATTYS.

No. 870,318. PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907.v

A. RAUS.

SINGLE TRIGGBR MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR.24,1906.

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entrain sfrnfrns ANTON RAUS, OF OLEVELAND,OHIO.

SINGLE-TRIGGER MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentedr'ov. 5, 1907'.

Application filed April 24, 1906. Serial lille 313,369.

To all whom 'it may concern: I

Be it known that l., ANTON RAUS, a citizen ol the United States, residing at. Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Single-Trigger M echanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

.The object oi this invention is to provide or'doublebarreled gunsv an eicient single trigger mechanism which may be shifted by hand or automatically to discharge the barrels successively in either order, O1' may be used to discharge either barrel continuously, as desired.

My mechanism is particularly adapted tor breechloading guns and is arranged to be automatically set when the gun is opened 'lor-reloading.

lhe various features oi the invention are hereinafter more fully described and the essential -characteristics set out in theclaims.

lhc drawings show the invention embodied in a double-barreled breech-loadinggun, the trigger mech anism being adapted to be shifted by the movement of the releasing lever which allows the barrel to be'l tipped for loading.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation oi the lock portion of such gun; Fig; 2 is a vertical cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section substznitially on the line 3 3 ol Fig. l., the barrel being omitted; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section parallel with Fig. l, being on the line 3-3 oi' Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the trigger mechanismj.. Fig.- 5 is a plan ofthe trigger mechanism; Fig. G represents a cross section on the line G-G of Fig. 4, showingsnch parts in five consecutive positions. indicated vby the -reference letters, A, B, C, l), and E. The remaining figures are perspectives of various parts of the single trigger mechanism, Figs. S and J representing'the same part and showing it. in top perspective and bottom perspective respectively.

Referring to the parts by reference numerals, 10 represents the stock ci the gun and 11 the barrel which is pivoted at 12 to a block 9 carried by the stock.

13 designates -the hammers which occupy recesses in the block 9 and are actuated by springs 14 pressing their lower ends rearwardly.v A hooked member .15 connected by a bell crank 16 with a hook 17 on the underside of the barrel provides means for cooking the hammers when the barrel is swung on its pivot for loading. When the hammers are cocked, they are engaged by the forward ends of the sears 30 and 3l, suitable springs 32 forcing the sears in this direction. vTo fire the gun, the trigger mechanism raises the rear end of the sears. releasing the corresponding hammer. y

When the gnn is closed the barrel is locked by a bolt |8 engaging a notch in the lug 19, (Fig. 3") onthe underside of the barrel. This bolt is connected With thelower end of a lever 2l which is pivoted at its upper end and is connected intermediately by a link 22 With a rock shait 23, as by an eccentric pin on the lower end of the rock shaft occupying a transverse slot in the link. A spring 25 acting on a cam surface on the rock shaft 23, tends to hold the parts in position With the barrel locked. A'lever 24 extends irom. the upper end of the .rock shaft, and when this lever is pressed to one side, the bolt 18 is thereby Withdrawn and the barrel is released. 1n such Withdrawal oi the bolt an opening 26 therein comes over a spring pressed plunger 27 which, ventering the opening, retains the ,boltwithdrawm holding the lever 24 in the corresponding position.

A So much of the construction as is above described is in common use in guns and is not of itseli my invention. The releasing mechanism described coperates in a peculiar manner with my single trigger mechanism and is herein 'claimed in combination therewith.

The single trigger mechanism proper includes a trgger 40 and mechanism intermediate of it and the sears so that the operation of the trigger raises one scar or the other, as l desired. The trigger mechanism may be shifted by hand so that the single trigger operates either sear, as desired. Automatically shiitable mechanism is l also provided to connect the trigger successively with the two scars, and vthis mechanism is connected with the releasing lever 24 so that every time such lever is operated to open the gun, the trigger connection is shifted back to its initial point. The travel of" the trigger mechanism may be either from the right barrel to the left or rom the left barrel to the right., as desired, the same being controlled by a suitable button. lhese parts will now be described. Secured to the upper side of a plate 41, forming th under side oi the lock is a housing 42 in which the trigger 40 is pivoted,-tlie trigger being oi the shape shown in Fig. 13. Pivoted on-a vertical pivot `extending up- Wardly from the trigger is a shittable plate or dog 43, which lies on the upper side oi the trigger and over a cross plate 44 carried by the trigger, this dog 43 being adapted to stand beneath either sear and provide a distance piece for raising it when the trigger is raised. A spring 49 acting on the trigger tends to keep it depressed. i

The dog 43 is formed With an opening, shown more particularly in Fig. 12 which is occupied by a spring bar 45 secured at one end and carrying at the other end a pin 46. The hole 47 in the dog is occupied by a screw 48 pivoting the dog to the trigger. The pin 46 occupies a hole 50 in the flat bar 5l, (shown alone in Fig. 11) which is pivoted at 52 to the trigger. 1n the rear mounted in a block 72 secured on the upper side of the plate 41. A spring 73 within a recess in this block and surrounding the shank 71 of the plunger forces the same into engagement with the bar 50.l Thisspring pressed 5 plunger prevents accidental displacement oi the bar but allows it to be shifted to shift the pin 46 and swing I the dog 43 beneath the corresponding sear.

To shift the bar 5l to swing the dog 43 automatically from beneath one sear to a position beneath theother, I provide thc following mechanism. l Mounted on the upper side of the block 72 and extending into the housing 42 is a plate 60, shown in top perspective in Fig. 8 and bottom perspective in Fig. 9. Formed on the underside of this plate are two sets of ratchet teeth, each set consisting of two teeth, 61, 62 and 63, G4 respectively. Formed on the upper side of the bar 5l are two ratchet teeth 54 and 55, these teeth facing opposite directions and being out of alinement with each other. The two sets of teeth on the plate 60 face opposite directions, there being a space between the two sets at least as great as the space the two teeth 54 and 55 together occupy.

The bar 60 is capable oi a longitudinal movement suffi:

cient to bring either the teeth 61, 62 directly over the tooth 54 or the teeth 63, 64 directly over the tooth 55.

ln intermediate position, both sets of teeth on theplate aregbeyond the outer side oi'the two teeth 54 and 55. This longitudinal movement of the plate is allowed by a slot 65 which the holding and guiding screw 74 occupies.

Assuming that the plate 60 is in its rcarmost position, as shown in Fig. l, 3 and 4, the teeth 61, 62 are directly over the teeth 54. Ii the bar 5l bel in its right hand position, the dog 43 will stand beneath the sear 31. This is shown in position A in Fig. 6. Ii, now, the trigger be raised, the sear 31 is raised, ring the'corresponding hammer and bringing the tooth 54 against the incline of the first tooth 62,|which'shifts the bar 51 sufficiently so that the plunger 70 engages the edge of the intermediate notch 53, forcing the bar into the position shown at B in Fig. 6. The release of the pull on the trigger as the gun is red allows the parts to come into the position shown at C in Fig. 6, the plunger 70 bringing the bar 51 into the exact intermediate position with its tooth 54 below the second tooth 61. Now the involuntary pull on the trigger which follows the discharge of the gun causes the tooth 54 to engage the tooth 6l, shifting the parts into the position shown at D', with the dog bearing against the side ofthe other sear g the spring 45 within the dog being bent sidewise. Then as the trigger is released and the dog lowered, the latter springs under the sear 30, by reason of the resilience of this bar 45 and brings the parts in the position shown at E. In. this position the trigger is ready to discharge the left hand barrel. It will thus be seen that the trigger mechanism automatically shifts from one barrel to the other, with the parts as described, this being from the right hand barrel to the left hand barrel.

I To return the trigger mechanism to position beneath the right hand barrel, as above described, I provide the following mechanism: Pivoted within the housing 42 on the same pivot on which the trigger is mounted is a bell crank 80 formed as shownin Figs. 4 and 7, and hav ing its longer arm bent upward and extending against the rear end of the bolt 18. The short arm of this bell crank is biurcated as shown at 8l. This bifurcation takes a link 83 formed as shown in Figs. 5 and l0 and having a hole for the reception of the nrear projection formed by the notch 81 of the bell crank. Extending rearwardly from this hole, the link tapers toward a point. This link rests on the inclined shelf 82 of thel trigger, and its large end is of such size that it is conveniently guided by the walls of the housing 42. The small end of the link adjacent to one or the other of a pair of inclines 58 and 59 formed on the bar 51.

Fig. 5 shows the position of the parts after the left hand barrel has been discharged-this position being the same as that shown at E in Fig. 6. Now when the gun is opened for the extraction of the empty shells and reloading, the Iirst movementof such opening is the swinging of the latch lever 24, and this, drawing rearward the bolt 18, moves the bell crank to shove rearward the link 83. In this movement, the link engages the incline 58 and orces the bar 51 into its extreme right hand position, bringing the dog 43v beneath'the right hand sear 3l, as shown at A in Fig. 6.

The above description explains how the sear operating dog passes aiitoniatically irom the right hand-sear to the left hand sea-r and is automatically returned to the right hand sear when the releasing bolt is operated to open the gun. To change the directionV of the operation, so that the sear operating dog shall automatie' ally be moved by the trigger from the left hand barrel to the right hand barrel and be returned to the left hand position by the opening of the gun, I provide the A tooth 55 on the plate 5l., and the teeth 63 and'64 on 95 the plate 60, as heretofore mentioned` These'teeth are idle during the right to left movement of the trigger already described. To bring them into action, the plate 60 is simply shoved forward, this being accomplished by a forward movement of the button 90, 100 (Fig. 3) on 4the sido of the gun stock, which has an arm 91 engaging a pin 67 extending upward from the plate 60. A. spring 92 carried by the arm 91 may engage notches in the plate 93 which carries the button' to hold it against accidental displacement, and suitable 105 indications as the letters It and L may be made on this plate,-either being covered by the button 90 and the one visible indicating which barrel. of the gun is to be first discharged.

li the button 90 is in its rear-most position, as shown 110 in Fig. 3, the right hand barrelA is the one first discharged, as herein iirst described. Ii the button is shifted forward, the plate (i0 is thereby moved forward and the teeth 63 and 64 come over the tooth 55. These teeth face in the opposite directions to the teeth'l, 62 115 and 54 respectively, and thus the plate 5l and sear opera-ting dog is automatically shifted from left to right.

Tocause the return .from the right hand position to the left when the gun opened, the rear end of the link 83 is automatically shifted to come opposite the 120 incline 59, by reason of the bell crank 85, which is pivoted at its elbow on a stud 86 carried by the housing, and carries at the end of one arm a pin 87, which en'- gag'es a slotted opening 88 in the link 83. The other arm of the bell crank carries a pin or screw` 89 which' 125 engages in a slot 68 in the edge of the plate 60. The head on the screw 89 holds the bell crank loosely to the plate, and the pin S6 Aforming its pivot extends through a slot 69 in the plate. Thus when the plate is shifted, the movement of the bell crank correspondingly shifts 13.0

the rear end oi the link 83, The plate being shiited forward to cause the trigger movement rom left to right, the rear end oi the link is shifted simultaneously to the right to stand in iront of the incline 59, so that when the scar operating dog reaches its right hand po sition, the opening of the gun automatically returns it to the left hand position.

The retur'n or' the trigger mechanism to its original position whenever the gun is opened is oi great advantage, ier, in addition to the double barreled ring described, it allows the trigger to be used to tire the same barrel consecutively, it desired. This results from the l'aet that beiore a given barrel can be iired asecond time the gun must be opened to reload that barrel. It l'r'equently happens that Sportsmen retain one bar'rel loaded ior an emergency, the leit hand ior example, and fire continuously from the right hand barrel,-re loading it each time. In srrch case, the trigger mechanism travels across from sear to sear as described, but before the leit hand barr'el is discharged, the mechanism is returned to the right hand barrel by the opening oi the gun. Il' it is the right hand barrel which is to be held in reserve, the shitting of the button 90 allows the leit hand barr'el to be fired continuously.

In addition to the automatic shitting oi the trigger operating mechanism, it is sometimes desirable that this be done by hand. To accomplish this, Iprovide a frnger lever 95 in iront of the trigger, pivoted on a strrd ot the trigger guard 9G. This lever, '(shown alone in Fig. 1.9) has a pin 97 rising from it and extending loosely through an opening 98 in the trigger, and into engagement with an opening 57 in the bar 51. This allows this bar 5l to be shifted by the sportsmans finger' engaging the arm 95, Whenever desired. This movement is independent oi the automatic shifting, and in .no way interiores with it. The finger lever 95 also furnishes an indicator, both visible and to the eeling, as to which 'barrel the trigger is set for. i

When the button 90 is in its mid position, the automatic operation is suspended, for in this position none oi the teeth on the bar' 51 and the plate 60 engage, and the plunger link 83 stands opposite a recess 99 vbetween the inclines 58 and 59 and operates idly. The finger lever 95 indicates the position the searoperating dog occupies, and may leave it there or shift it to the other barrel, as desired. I

I claim'.

l. The combination with a double-bar'r'eled gun of a singlo trigger mechanism including a movable dog, adapted to be set l'or' either bar'r'el and having a mid position into which the liring of either barrel brings it, the involuntary pull consequent thereupon shifting it into position for' the other barrel.

The combination of a trigger', a shiftable dog mounted thereon` u bar' tor' moving the dog, a.plate,4coperating. ratchet teeth on the bar and plate to cause the dog to travel erosswise consequent rrpon the up and down movement ol` the trigger', and means for' automatically returning said dog to initial position when the gun is opened.

2i. lu a single trigger mechanism. the combination of a trigger', rr shift-able bur mounted thereon, a dog for operating the sears movable by said bar, a shiftable plate, cooperative ratchet teeth on the bar and the 'plate to cause said har' to move in eitler direction according to the position ot' the plate, and means for' returning' said bar' to initial position.

4. 1n a single tr' 'ger' mechanism, the combination of a trigger'. a shiftable bar' mounted thereon, a dog for operatl ing the sears movable by said bar', a spring pressed plunger for holding said bar' in position, a shttable plate, and co- 70 operative ratchet teeth on the bar and the' plate to cause said bar' to move in either direction according to the position ot' the plate.

5. The combination of a trigger', a pivoted soar-mieratng dog mounted thereon, a pivoted bar' engaging said dog, a

spring' pressed plunger for' holding said bar in proper position, means operated by the raising and lowering of the trigger' to 4shift said bar laterally, and means l'or reversing direction ot' such shifting.

The combination of a trigger', a pivoted scar-operating dog mounted thereon, a pivoted bar engaging said dog, means operated' by the raising and lowering oi the trigger' to shift said bar' laterally, and means for reversing direction ot srrch shifting, and means operated when the gun is opened to automatically return said bar' to initial position, said means being automatically shifted when the bar movement is shifted.

7. The combination with the sears o1 a trigger', a pivoted scar-operating dog mounted thereon, a pivoted bar having' a spring engagement with said dog, a spring-pressed plunger' having a beveled engagement with said har', means operated by the raising and lowering of the' trigger' to shift said bar laterally.

S. In a single trigger mechanism, the combination ol a trigger', a shiftable bar' mounted thereon, and having teeth on its upper' surface, means for operatingl the sears controlled by said bar', a member' above the bar having teeth coperative with the teeth of the bar', said member' being shiftable to bring its teeth into or out of engagement with teeth on the bar.

9. ln a single trigger mechanism, the combination of a triggera slrit'table member mounted thereon, and having teeth on its upper' surface, means for operating the sears controlled by said member, a second member' having teeth coperative with the`teeth mentioned, one ot' such members having two sets of srrch teeth and one ot' said members being shiitable tol bring either' set of teeth into engagement with teeth from the other' member' to cause said shiftable member' to travel laterally in either direction as desired.

10. In a double-barreled gun, the combination ol' a singie trigger mechanism automatically shittable from either' barrel to the other', an indicator' stationary during the shitting for indicating the direction olf shil't, and an indicator movable with the shifting` for' indicating the barrel in action,

11. The combination, with the sears, oi a pivoted trigger', laterally movable mechanism mounted on the trigger' and adapted to be shifted in either' direction to control either' scar, a locking device for' the barrel, a mimber operated by the releasing movement of such locking device, a connection between said member' and the scar-operating mechanism, and means for shifting' said connection.

`12. The combination with the sears of operating mechanism therefor', means for automatically shifting said mechanism from either' sear to the other', and means for' disengaging the automatic operation and leaving either' sear' as desired in action.

13. ln a single trigger mechanism, the combination with the sears of operating mechanism therefor including' a dog automatically shiftable in either direction to engage either' scar, finger-operated mechanism tor determining the direction of shift, said dog' and mechanism having intermediate positions which disengag'e the automatic operation.

14. In a trigger' mechanism, the combination with the sears and the trigger, of operating mechanism automaticdally shiftable from either' sear to the other', mechanism for' changing the direction ot' shift, and a linger' device independent of the mechanism for' changing the direction of shift, and'adapted to shift the operating mechanism in either' direction.

15. The combination with a double bar'reled gun of sin-` gle trigger mechanism automatically' shiftable from either' sear to the other, means for changing the direction of the shift, such means giving an indication of the selected direction, means operating when the gun is opened to automatically return the trigger mechanism to initial position, and independent ng'er-operated means to shift the operating, mechanism as desired without interfering with the automatic mechanism, the position of said independent means indicating which barrel is in action, said finger operated means having a button or engageabie part on the underside of the lock plate just in front of the trigger.

16, The combination of sears, a trigger, a laterally .shiftable member mounted thereon, a second member, two sets of coperating ratchet teeth carried by said members to cause the rst mentioned member to travel crosswise consequent of its up and down movement,V and means for 1ongitudinally shifting the second mentioned member to change the direction of such crosswise movement.

17. The combination with the sears of a trigger, a dog carried thereby adapted to operate either sear, means for automatically shifting said dog'from either "Sear to the other, and means for throwing ont of action suchvauto- ANTON RAUS.

Witnesses ALBERT H. BATES, G. A. MYERS. v 

